The Storyteller. HER GUARDIAN ANGEL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 11, 14 March 1901, Page 23

The Storyteller. HER GUARDIAN ANGEL.

It is very pleasant to see England again after ten yearn' residence in the East ; but I know pleasanter places in England than London on a sultry day in July,' Holiloqui zed Dr. Neilson, a bronzed, middleaged man, v\ iIL rituuikaLly ker:, £r o y ey oa , n .vn <i 1 oTjirMmnn of alert vitality thot drew attention to him even in a crowd. Ho had lauded in Eu^litud ooiuo Once day 3 prr\iou« to f he morn"-,' our story opens ; and, having no family or near relatives alive, ho felt rather solitary in the great city, and was now standing at the window of a We*t End hotel, gazing ruefully on the passing throng. Suddenly a tap at the door an! the announcement. A gentleman wishes to see you, flir,' disturbed his musings. He took the card off the salver which the waiter presented. •Colonel Mathom I Show him in at once,' he exclaimed. A minute later he was shaking hands with a bluff, soldierly man, some 20 years hiß Benior, but wiry and active. 4 You were never more welcome, Mathom. I had not a soul to speak to. How did you find me out .' ' Happened to ccc your arrival in the paper and hurried up to town to secure you. Now, have you any business to keep you here ? ' 4 No, I have not even unpacked my trunks. ISo much the better. I ordered dinner in half an hour. Meantime go and put up your things and we'll catch the nine o'clock express.' Dr. Neilaon laughed. I You are not a bit changed, Mathom. Just the same old '-hurry up," as the Eighth nioknamed you. Where are we going by the 4 Where ! ' To my place, of course— the " Moat." My widowed siater, Mrs. Sinnell, lives with me. But she is now on a visit to her daughter in Wales ; so we shall be alone, fortunately ; for I want your help.' , . „ . , , And the Colonel's face looked anxious as his friend glanced at him in surprise. 4 All right, Colonel 1 lam at your service. Take a cigar while I tell my man to pack up a few necessaries. By the way, shall I bring him ? He is an Afghan, but a splendid fellow. Saved my life twice.' . , , 4 Yee. bring a dozen if you like. My big barracks of a house would hold a regiment ; and. by the irony of fate, it has fallen to an old bachelor and a practically childless widow ; for my nephews and nieces are in homes of their own. We'll have it livelier by the 12th. There's good shooting.' 'Then Hamet will be useful— he is a first-rate fchot, said the Doctor. ' I'll be back in 10 minutes.' Not until they were seated in a reserved first-claps carriage and had left London" some miles behind did the Colonel explain his trouble to his old friend Neilson. The latter, accustomed to his ways, asked no questions and awaited his pleasure. ' Neilson,' began Mathom, as tbey whirled through the summer night, ' do you remember Lloyd Keatherstone ?' ' Of the 3rd Buffs ?' The other nodded. I 1 remember him well. He was a gallant fellow and a brave officer.' . , 4 Poor fellow ! he and his young wife were carried off by cholera in Ceylon about 20 years ago, leaving an infant daughter two months old. I was with him. He had barely time to ull me that he had made a will when the epidemic broke out, and. in case of his death, had appointed me joint guardian, with his wife, to !in infant child. The wife, poor thing, died a few hours after her husband, so that the little Alys lost both parents at once. I t.M.k h r and confided her to the care of a kind, m< therly woman, witc of Sergeant-Major Dougla*. who kept her until she was six yeais old. I then brought her to E-igland and placed her at school in the Benedictine Convent of Prim-ethorpe, where she was edmnti d with my nieces, Maud and Lilian Sinnell, who were her seniors by two or three years When Lilian married two years ago I brought Alj ». then a blooming girl of KS, to the Moat, intending to keep hrr vuih me until she camn of ago. She inherited Featherstone hall and £40,000 a year from her father ; and this, owing to the accumulations of the long minority, makes her one of the richest heiios-th in •No light charge. Colonel,' ejaculated his hearer. ' The IVathjr•tonee were a handsome race ; so I suppose your heiress to have many charms besides her goldtn ones.' Mathom nodded emphatically. • bhe is or rather wap, a luvtly girl ; fVr of late iil-hea th has dimmed the radiance of her ho.iuty. But of that later on 1. 1 nu> not digress. The only relatives Ah- p^-es^s are her tinolo s widow, Lady Zara Featherstone, and her s-on Harold. Llojd Featherstone' s younger brother, Harolr 1 , entered the diplomatic service and received knighthood for i-ome cause or other i\hile British Consul abroad. lie married a (Jrtek lady, and left her a wilow with one son when the latter was 20. He is 2»> now. and has already squandered the moderate fortune Sir Harold left him. He and his mother live on her jointure of a thousand ,» joar at Featherstone Manor, which she rents from Alys. It is the dower houße of the Featberatoni s ; and, acting as Alys' guardian, I le t it to her for a nominal rent when bhe returned from a long residence abroad just as her nieces school days ended. When hhe ask<d Alys on a visit to the Minor, and then proposed to p re.se nt her at the next levir at St. Jamas' and bring her into society, I could not refuse ; although I have no love for Lady Zara.' ' Is she a pure Greek ? '

'I don't know. She is a handsome woman, about 45 — or perharjs more ; well preserved and accomplished. She speaks several languages fluently — English remarkably so ; and, on the whole, adapts herself wonderfully to our ways. Her home in London was one of the most fashionable, and she is liked in society.' ' And her son ? ' 'lie is like her. However, he has the Featherstonee' tall pt.iture and blue eyes. Honestly, I must acknowledge that he is an exce'.dins<ly good-looking young reprobate.' 'r.JuJ.UJ zUuii, eh " ' No. Sir Harold took care of that. He was educated at Om uLL, and, II v.ao whiopoicd, naiio.\ly escaped expulsion. When his father died he was called off to Trieet, where they lived ; he then went on a tour to the East, and had not returned when Alys went with his mother to London for the season.' ' Does the young girl like her aunt ? ' ' They agree pretty well, but there is no affection between them. When young Harold returned to England he at once placed himself at her feet as an ardent suitor. Ahs laughed at him at first : but, finding he was troublesome, she threatened to leave her aunt'B house if he continued his importunities. That settled the matter. Lady Featherstone, though greatly disappointed, refrained from all interference and sent her son on a trip to Greece. He reappeared at the manor three months ago, and has carefully refrained from all lover-like advances. But since hia reappearance on the scene Alyß' health, which had always been excellent, has suddenly and unaccountably failed ' The Colonel ceased speaking, and the Doctor stared at him in some perplexity. Was this half-Greek youth about to develop into a medieval poisoner or a melodramatic sorcerer, whose unholy spells were sucking away the life-blood from hia cruel enchantress / 1 Well, Colonel, what is he doing to her V he half -laughingly asked. 'I wish I knew,' was the unexpected rejoinder. 4 Some foul play is going on, Harry ; and I want you to find out what it ia. Don't look at me like that, boy !' continued the veteran, testily. 1 I'm not a lunatio and I know what I'm saying. Harold Featherstone is his cousin'B heir if she dies intestate. And before her twenty-fir6t birthday she can make no will ; so that her death before the Sth of next December means for her scampish cousin the inheritance of Featherstone Hall. £40,000 a year, and accumulations amounting to over £1500,000.' ' But. Colonel, why don't you bring Miss Featherßtone to the Moat ?' ' Because my sister has recently been very ill ; and, with one invalid already in the house, I could not fcyce Alys to leave her aunt. Tho latter, with her usual suavity, begged of me to let her dear niece remain with her until after a hal costume which is to take place at Haeley Towers on the 10th of September, to celebrate the coming of age of the youne Viscount Netterville ; and then she will, if I like, yield me her darling, from whom she is so loath to separate. My bister is better, and has gone to Wales till the end of this week.' 'Of what docs Miss Featherstone complain ?' asked the Doctor, gravely •Of nothing. She looks wretchedly pale, has black circles under her eye% no appetite and no energy. Now, four months ago Alys was a thoroughly happy, healthy, lively girl ; the first in every amusement and always as busy as a bee.' • Have you consulted a physician ? ' 1 Not ('lie alone but several eminent in the profession. All :u.rr< I- there is no dis< as-e, only a want of vitality for which they can m.d no cv.u-e. Her parents were perfectly healthy young people win n ciniid oil by cholera, and there is no taint of hereditary di!-tu-< .' • Ui'joi (1 the mere fact of being his cousin's heir, have you any reason for suspecting young Featherstone /' 'No t.it gil>!e reason, I inu«t admit. However, one little incident aroiiM dny fiisj icioi:w, and they have never slept since. Wilei x;, my oaii man. came to me one morning early and told me that, list \ inu; iron" o\ er to tho manor on a message the day before, the gnk>m h nl a hed him to look at a young horse Harold was getting t'iiu.d for .Miss Featherstone to ride. Wilcox, an old cavalryman, v h.> h a crack rider and a first-rate judge o£, horpes, told the man it was a showy hut vicious bruto and utteily unfit for a lady's use. The grvoci agreed, but said that Mr. Featherstone got into a fury wluu ho told him so, and insisted it was to be tried by Miss Featherstolid next day. ' Then saddle, my horse at once, and follow me with the maie for Miss Featherstone," was my reply.' 'We ai lived in the nick of time. Alys stood waiting on the peeps while the groom and Harold foiefd a prancing black horte to a|'iiru;u'h hi r. Ifa\ ing finally succeeded, Harold was so busy persuading her there w;is no danger, and that the Khan's pranks prec<e'cd from mi-re frolicsome-ness, that he did not perceive my approach. Alys did. and, looking gn atly relieved, came to meet me. I s-hail never fmg. r, the furious look of baffled malice that Harold Wstowtd on her Quickly resuming his mat-k, he eaid coolly : 'Woid nii'Vniiij,'. Colorel. I am persuading Alys to take a rroriiii.g rile. but she is becoming unite nervous of late.' ' \\ ithout noti- ing him, I turned to the head groom and paid stunly • "What lr- the meaning of this, Simson ' How can you think of mounting Miss Featherstone on that vicious brute ? " The Khan was just then making frantic efforts to stand upright, which it took all the man's stiength to prevent. " 1 told Mr. Featheratone, sir. the boree was unfit tor anyone to ride ; but he cursed me for an otlicious coward, and saddled him with the young mistress's f addle himt-tlf," s-aid the man, sullenly. "Very good. Know for the future, Simson, that you take no orders, except from your young mistress and from me. You are engaged for her service alone, and and she is neither to ride nor drive any horseß except those I choose.

Take that home away and put the saddle on the one Wiloox is leading for Miss Featherstone.' Harold, livid with passion, was still standing beside his cousin. " Allow me, I said with biting emphasis, " to spare yon the trouble of providing for your oousin's safety. Another suoh mistake on your part, and I will at once remove her from the manor." Hiß mother both heard and saw all that passed. As I was riding up I perceived her half hidden by the curtains of the open window beside the porch. But it suited her to feign ignorance of the whole transaction. Harold went to London next day and has not come back since.' ' What do you want me to do in the matter, Colonel ? ' 1 1 want you to drop your title of doctor for the nonce. I "hall introduce you as my old friend, Harry Neilson, and you will be able, unsuspected, to find out what ails my ward. Neilson codded good-humoredly. ' All right, my lord ! I pledge myself to be wily as the proverbial serpent ; and between us we'll defeat even Greek subtlety. Cheer up now. and look like your jovial self.' The Doctor's Diakt. July 20. — Made the acquaintance of Lady and Miss Featherstone to-day. The latter is a very charming girl, but her health is certainly undermined. She has a curiously pallid look, more what one sees in a London girl than in one accustomed to this splendid air. We shall stay at the Manor to-night, and to-morrow morning we shall return to the Moat. The Colonel says his ward must accompany him and remain a few days. He has need of her on business matters, as he has soon to give up the accounts of his guardianship. Lady Featherstone has an odd trick of squeezing the corner of her mouth when vexed ; otherwise her control of feature is perfect. She is handsome, and is well into the fifties, but carefully preserved. Her manner is most gracious ; she never objects to any proposals of the Colonel's, but contrives to throw various obstacles in the way whenever they don't suit her. She reminds me somehow of a big white Persian oat I once possessed. He used to sit on my writingtable very stately and grim, to all appearance half asleep ; in reality nothing escaped him, and a lightning flash was not quicker than the motion of hia deft white paw when it suited him to move from his statuesque pose. I was very fond of Hafbs and up to all his little tricks. I don't think I shall ever be fond of Lady Featherstone, but I mean to learn her little tricks. Alys is an open book ; a charming, frank young English girl. I brought Hamet with me and took him into my confidence ; he is silent ai the grave and always useful. He knew Alys' father and liked him. July 21. — As we expected, there were obstacles, apparently insurmountable, to Alys' departure. But the Colonel can be doggedly determined at times, and we carried her off triumphantly, promising to bring ber home on the 27th of August without fail. I must win her confidence, now that we have her all to ourselves. Mrs. Sincel came home on the 19th ; but she is still very delicate, and leaves us pretty much to our own devices. July 26. — More than ever puzzled at Alys' Bymptoms. She is decidedly better here, yet the Manor has greater hygienic advantages. It stands on an eminence, is a modern, well- ventilated dwelling, and Lady Zara has introduced many improvements. As ehe had no suspicion of my profession, she was not on her guard with me. In the course of the evening she made a curious admission. Turning over the pages of a monthly magazine, I happened to say that the arrival of some serial numbers at a hill station in India had once proved such a boon that I should always feel grateful to that publication. Lady Featherstone looked interested and mentioned a journal which frequently gave scientific articles, and had lately published some very fine ones on chemistry. ' That is not a favorite subject with ladies,' I said, half-banteringly. ' Well, it is a favorite pursuit of mine.' confessed her Ladyship. ' Just fancy, Mr. Neilnon,' observed Alys, with a little grimace, ' Aunt Zara'a dressing-room opens into a small room which she has had fitted up as a laboratory, and she haunts it at unearthly hours. My bedroom is adjacent, and I have sometimes been tempted to try spirit-rapping on the intervening wall.' We all laughed ; but, glancing at Lady Featherstone, it struck me that she was not very pleased. 'We all have our hobbies,' she remarked, lightly ; ' bub I thought you promised us Borne music, Alys.' This changed the conversation. I must have a look at Lady Zara's laboratory. Alys has promised to show me some neighboring ruins to-morrow, and in the course of our ride I shall tell her I am a medical man and ask her to let me examine her lungs and heart. August 5. — I have made some very important discoveries since my laßt entry in this diary, but I shall note them down later. On the 27th Miss Featherstone and I rode, as arranged, to view the abbey ruins ; and, having duly examined them, sat down in the former cloisters to rest and lunch. I drew the conversation round to Alys' father, and we grew very friendly ; then I told her frankly that I was a physician, and had come to the Moat principally to help my old friemi, Colonel Mathom, who was very anxious about her health. She waa a little startled, but was easily persuaded that it was better ' not to frighten Aunt Zara.' I grinned at the notion, though I said nothing to disturb her belief in that astute relative. At this point we were interrupted, but I shall continue the subj ct to-morrow. (To be concluded in our next issue.)

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